Stoneman’s Raid

Stoneman’s 1865 raid in North Carolina:

“Stoneman’s raid in 1865 was a military campaign in the American Civil War by Federal cavalry troops led by General George Stoneman which began on March 23, 1865, in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Union soldiers were tasked with orders to “dismantle the country” — to “destroy but not to fight battles.” They headed east into North Carolina destroying towns and plundering along the way, then headed north into Virginia on April 2 where they destroyed 150 miles of railroad track belonging to the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. They re-entered North Carolina on April 9 and traveled south to the twin towns of Winston and Salem, and then onward to High Point.” – Wikipedia

Take a virtual tour of the Confederate Prison for Union. Over 11,000 U.S. soldiers and sailers died in this stockade during the war.

National Cemetery: 202 Government Rd, Salisbury, NC 28144

Salisbury Prison Guard House: 224 E Bank St, Salisbury, NC 28144

Salisbury Prison and National Cemetery Virtual Reality Tour:

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One of Stonesman’s commanders has an interesting footnote in this narrative. General Gillem was a Tennessean that had a son*, and grandson that became general officers in the U.S. Army and Air Force. One of the civil war forts in Nashville was named for the senior Gillem during the war. It’s location is were Fisk University is today.

*Lt. General Alvan Cullom Gillem, Jr. would chair the Board for Utilization of Negro Manpower (1945-1946) “to introduce equal opportunity, as that would be the best use of military manpower”.